Multiplying spring motor



July 31, 1962 J. F. OBLAZNEY MULTIPLYING SPRING MOTOR Filed April 22. 1960 United States Joseph This invention relates to a power mechanism, and more particularly to a multiplying spring motor.

The object of the invention is to provide a multiplying spring motor which is constructed so that potential energy can be built up in order to provide for an Output or driven shaft a desired number of revolutions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multiplying spring motor which is constructed so that the desired number of revolutions can be built up or provided for, the motor being constructed so that it will supply power or run for a long period of time without having to be rewound, and wherein the novel means is provided for utilizing a plurality of spiral springs in order to provide power for a desired purpose.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a multiplying spring motor which is durable and also of simple and economical construction.

With these objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter described, illustrating in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions size and minor details of construction may be made within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

The invention thus set forth in general terms is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of the multiplying spring motor of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view showing the parts disassembled or separated.

FIGURE 4 is an elevational View, with certain of the parts separated, and showing certain structural details of the multiplying spring motor of the present invention.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5- 5 of FIGURE 3.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 20 indicates the multiplying spring motor of the present invention which is shown to comprise a support member indicated generally by the numeral 21, and the support member 21 includes a portion 22, and the support member 21 also includes a portion 23, and an arm 24 as well as a'base 25.

According to the present invention there is provided a first or drive shaft or input shaft which is indicated generally by the numeral 26, and the drive shaft 26 includes an end portion 27 which has a hand crank 28 connected thereto as for example by means of a set screw 29. The shaft 26 also includes a portion 30 of increased diameter, and the reduced end portion 27 of the shaft 26 is adapted to extend through -a bearing 31 on the arm 22. The lower end portion of the shaft 26 is provided with an inner recess or bore 32, and there is provided on the lower end or inner end of the shaft 26 a head 33 which may have a square shape, the head 33 also having an opening therein which is in alignment with the opening or recess 32, for a purpose to be later described.

The numeral 34 indicates a first bracket which includes a triangular shape fiat portion 35 which has a plurality of lugs such as the lugs 36 and 37 depending therefrom. The lug 37 is provided with a slot 38, and the numeral atent fire 39 indicates a first spiral spring member which has a T shaped end portion 40 which engages the slot 38 in the lug 37. The portion 35 of the bracket 34 is provided with a square shaped recess or opening 41 that snugly receives therein the square shaped head 33 on the lower end of the shaft 26.

The numeral 42 indicates a bushing which is provided with a longitudinally extending central recess or opening 43, and the bushing 42 has on its lower end a square shaped opening 44, there being a securing element or pin 51 connecting the inner end of the spiral spring 39 to the bushing 42.

The numeral 45 indicates a second bracket which is of generally the same shape and construction of the first bracket 34, and the bracket 45 includes a triangular shape flat portion 46 which has lugs 47 and 48 depending therefrom, and the lug 48 is provided with a slot 52. The numeral 49 indicates a second spiral spring which has a T shaped end portion 50 engaging the slot 52 in the lug 48, FIGURE 3.

The numeral 53 indicates an output or driven shaft, and the shaft 53 has the inner end of the second spiral spring 49 connected thereto as for example by means of a securing element 54. There is provided in the upper end of the shaft 53 a recess 55, and the numeral 56 indicates a centering pin, and the pin 56 has one end seated in the recess 55, and the pin 56 also extends through the opening 43 in the bushing 42, and the pin also extends through the opening 41 in the bracket 34, and this pin 56 has its upper end seated in the opening 32, the pin 56 serving to help maintain the various associated parts in their proper aligned relationship. The portion 46 of the bracket 45 is provided vw'th a square shaped opening 60 for snugly receiving therein the square shaped head 44 of the bushing 42, when the parts are in their assembled position.

The shaft 53 may be used for supplying power to any desired mechanism, as for example as shown in FIGURE 1, a gear 57 may be fastened to the lower end of the shaft 53, and this gear 57 may mesh with a gear 58 which is rotatably connected to the portion 25 of the support member 21 as for example by means of the pin 59.

As shown in FIGURE 2 for example, a ratchet wheel 61 is keyed or otherwise fastened to the shaft 26 as at 62, and the numeral 63 indicates a pawl which is adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 61, the pawl 63 being connected to the portion 22 of the support member 21 as for example by means of the pin 65, and the numeral 64 indicates a spring member which engages the pawl 63 for urging the end of the pawl 63 into engagement with the ratchet wheel, in order to prevent accidental unwinding of the spring motor.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided a multiplying spring motor which is constructed so that :an increased number of revolutions or rotations can be imparted to a member such as a shaft and wherein this shaft can be used for operating any suitable or desired type of mechanism. As shown in FIGURE 1 for example, it will be seen that when the crank 28 is manually rotated, as for example in a counterclockwise direction, the shaft 26 will be rotated since the crank 28 is connected to the shaft 26 as at 29. The ratchet 61 has the pawl 63 arranged in engagement therewith so as to prevent unwinding of the motor, and the shaft 26 has a square shaped head 33 on its lower end which snugly seats in the opening 41 of the bracket 34 so that as the shaft 26 is turned by the crank 28, the bracket 34 will likewise be turned or rotated. Since the spiral spring 39 has its outer end 40 engaging the slot 38 of the lugs 37, it will be seen that this rotation of the bracket 34 will cause the spring 39 to become wound tightly, and since the inner end of the spring 39 is connected as at 61 to the bushing 42, this will cause rotation of the bushing 42. The bushing 42 has the square shaped head 44 snugly engaging the square shaped opening 60 in the bracket 45 so that this will result in rotation of the bracket 45. The spiral spring 49 has its outer end 50 connected to the slotted portion 52 of the lug 48 so that as the bracket 45 is wound up, the spiral spring 49 will likewise be wound up and the other end of the spring 49 is connected as at 54 to the output shaft 53. Thus, it will be seen that when the motor is released, the output shaft 53 will be driven or turned due to the unwinding of the spring 39 and also due to the unwinding of the spring 49 so that an increased number of revolutions will be given to'the output shaft 53.

While the present invention has been described using two spiral springs and their associated parts, it is to be understood that more than two of said springs can be used so as to increase the amount of rotation imparted to the output shaft, and when more than two of said springs are used, the construction is the same as previously described except that there are additional parts.

Furthermore, while a specific support member 21 and a specific crank and output gear assembly has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that. this is merely for the purpose of illustration since the principles;

of the present invention are applicable to other forms of input and output shafts drive arrangements.

The lugs such as the lugs 36, 47 serve to maintain the spiral springs in their proper positions in order to prevent the springs from flying outward so that these lugs serve to restrain the springs and maintain the springs in their proper position. While square shaped heads and openings have been described, it is to be understood that the shape of these heads and openings can be of any desired configuration such as five sided, six sided or the like as long as the construction provides a driving C011. nection between the bracket and its associated parts.

The pin 56 serves to maintain the parts properly centered or aligned when they are assembled.

The parts can be made of any suitable material and in difierent shapes or sizes.

Thus, it will be seen that there has beeen provided a multiplying spring motor or a flat spring motor which can be built up to the desired number of revolutions. The springs are arranged in spiral or coil formation, and the shaft 53 functions as a power takeoff shaft. As the motor is wound up, pressure is first applied to the spring 39, and subsequently to the spring 49p As stated previously the number of springs and brackets or sections second bracket, said last named head having the same configuration as the opening of the second bracket so that there is a non-rotatable relationship between the last named head and the opening of the second bracket, the

inner end of said spring member being connected to said bushing, lugs depending from said second bracket, one of said last named lugs having a slot therein, a second spring member having its outer end portion engaging said last named slot, a driven shaft having a recess there-- in, a pin extending through said bushing and engaging the recess in said driven shaft, and said second spring member having its innerend connected to said driven 2. In a multiplying spring motor, a drive shaft having a head on its inner end, there being a recess in the head portion of said shaft, a bracket including a flat portion provided with an opening for snugly receiving the head of said shaft, said opening having the same configuration as said head so that there is a non-rotatable relationship between the head and bracket, a plurality of spaced apart lugs depending from the outer ends of said flat portion,

tone of said lugs having a slot therein, a spiral spring member having its outer end portion engaging said slot, a second bracket contiguous to said first bracket and said second bracket including a triangular flat portion pro vided with an opening therein, a bushing provided with a central longitudinally extending recess, a head on the lower end of said bushing engaging the opening of a second bracket, said last named head having the same configuration as the opening of the second bracket so that there is a non-rotatable relationship between the last;

named head and second bracket, the inner end of said spring member being connected to said bushing, a plurality of lugs depending from said second bracket, one pf said last named lugs having a slot therein, a second spring member having its outer end portion engaging said last named slot, a driven shaft having a recess therein, a pinextending through said bushing and engaging the recess in said driven shaft, and said second spring member having its inner end connected to said driven shaft, a ratchet connected to said drive shaft, and a pawl for engaging said ratchet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 982,444 Smith Jan. 24, 1911 FOREIGN PATENTS 863,569 France e Ian. 2, 1941 France Dec. 10, 1942 

